Jon Tester

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. I yield the floor.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. I ask unanimous consent to be allowed to speak up to 15 minutes.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, this is supposed to be the greatest deliberative body on earth. This body is supposed to be a body that works for the American people and exemplifies what the greatest Nation in the world should exemplify and lead in that vein. I rise today to highlight that we are not living up to expectations. I want to highlight the very real consequences of this body's failure to deliver a Defense appropriations bill that would provide urgently needed resources to our men and women in uniform and keep this country safe. As most folks know, I am a farmer. We are getting winter underway, and I am planning for what I am going to plant next spring in the fields. I will tell you that when spring planting time comes, I will have to do that job. And I will work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to get that job done. Because if I don't, I lose the farm--literally. If I don't tend to business, I go broke. I want you to take a look at this body. We should have had a Defense bill, Defense appropriations bill, done the end of September, 3 months ago. And instead, we did a continuing resolution, then we did another continuing resolution, then we did another continuing resolution--keep kicking the can down the road. And the result of that is uncertainty, and the result of uncertainty is putting this country at risk. By the way, what I do on the farm is what people do every day in their businesses. And folks who go to work, they don't throw in the towel at any moment in time because they can't. They have to stick around. They have to get the job done. We need to follow our constituents' lead. I serve as chairman of the Senate committee that works on that military appropriations. I have been working with Republicans and Democrats for months to make sure that we have an appropriations bill that invests in the United States of America; that makes sure we stay ahead of our pacing threat, China; that we defend our country from foreign adversaries; and we take care of our servicemembers and their families. That Defense Appropriations Committee came together, and we produced a strong, bipartisan appropriations bill in the Senate that meets the needs of our military. That bill passed through committee months ago. In fact, it passed back in July by a vote of 27 to 1. Of course, it was a bipartisan vote. What that bill did was it included a 5.2-percent pay raise for our troops; it significantly ramped up production of made-in-America defense systems; it modernized our nuclear weapons programs; it accelerated investments in modernization to make sure that we, the United States of America, stays ahead of the countries that want to harm us and threaten our way of life. Let me be frank. This bill should have been passed by the House and the Senate back in September. If that had been done, we would not be talking here in the middle of December about taking up a bill in February to keep this country safe. Instead, we lurch from one potential shutdown to another potential shutdown. Right now, the military is running under last year's budget, a continuing resolution that expires on February 2. Now I am hearing a number of folks talking about the fact that we do not need an appropriations bill for this year; that we will just run off the old bill. Quite frankly, it is stupid, and it is dangerous. Let me give you the consequences of continued inaction because they are serious. Failure to deliver an appropriations budget for our defense emboldens our foreign adversaries--that is a given--and we are already seeing that play out before our eyes. After the horrific attacks of October 7, carried out by Hamas, the Defense Department ordered an additional aircraft carrier strike group, air defenses, fighter jets, and troops to the Middle East to prevent this conflict from spiraling into a regional war. But because of this body's dysfunction of not being able to deliver a defense appropriations bill on time, the Pentagon has no money to pay for this bill. As we speak, our Defense Department is hunting for literally hundreds of millions of dollars to cover these costs, and it is pulling money away from other critical operations. It also leaves our men and women in uniform without the certainty and the resources they need to protect our freedoms both abroad and here at home. In my case, it is the brave air men and women serving at Montana's very own Malmstrom Air Force Base. The men and women of the 341st Missile Wing operate our ICBM missile fleet. These missiles are over 30 years old and need to be replaced. The silos that they sit in are over 60 years old. They need to be replaced, but without that appropriations bill, this program will continue to be delayed because of our dysfunction. Folks, the American military is being weakened across the air, land, and sea because we are failing to provide the predictability of the delivery of assets. For anybody who has ever been in business, you know that predictability is critically important. Without predictability, your chance of losing profits is huge. Well, we are talking about a little different thing here. We are talking about the defense budget, and without predictability, we are talking about some 300 programs that are going to be impacted because they don't know where the money is going to come from. They can't get started on assembly lines or ramp up production on already approved contracts because there isn't the money to pay for them because we haven't passed our defense budget. That includes things like helicopters. It includes things like B-21 bombers and F-35 fighter jets. It is causing a nearly $10 billion reduction in our shipbuilding programs, halting the construction of new ships and the maintenance of our current fleet, and delaying the completion of already approved Virginia-class submarines. These delays make this country a less safe country. It is another blow to our already challenging recruitment and retention efforts. By the way, I might add, with the exception of the Marines, every branch of the service needs more people in our volunteer military, but because we haven't passed a defense appropriations bill, we are, once again, putting manpower at risk. Joint Chiefs Chairman C.Q. Brown noted that a yearlong continuing resolution would create a $5.8 billion shortfall in military personnel funding. These are the folks whom we send all over the world--to horrible places--to protect freedom. This is a $5.8 billion shortfall. Quite frankly, what does that say for the folks who want to sign up for the military, for those folks who want to volunteer and dedicate their lives to keeping this country safe? They look at Congress and look at the job we are doing, and they say: Why the hell would I want to do that? And we wonder why our end-strength numbers aren't where they need to be. It is a slap in the face to our Nation's veterans--the fact that we can't get a defense appropriations bill done. Why? Because these veterans are relying on this body to deliver a defense appropriations bill that will strengthen TRICARE so that they can get the quality healthcare that they have earned. But maybe the most disturbing thing about all of this--that we can't get a defense appropriations bill or any appropriations bill done, I might add, in a timely manner--is that some will say: Well, we are going to save money. That is a joke. This whole charade is going to cost money. It is going to waste taxpayer dollars. We know the longer it takes you to buy something, the more it is going to cost. They know, when you shut down production lines, it costs money to start those production lines back up, and without money, that is exactly what has to happen. Look, I could go on and on about the damage that a continuing resolution--an extension of last year's budget, a budget that was created when we had no idea of the threats that would be going on now-- would do. The fact of the matter is that this Congress isn't doing its job. The greatest deliberative body isn't doing what it needs to do. And what is more important? What is a more important job for us than to keep our country safe? We wonder why our approval numbers are in the toilet. I can tell you. It is because of garbage like this--and it is garbage. They are tired of folks coming back to Washington, DC, and losing track of where they come from. My point is just like on the farm. We need to stay here weekends, vote nights, and work as hard as we can to get this done because enough is enough. We need to get these bipartisan bills done so that we can keep this country the greatest country on Earth.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the longstanding tradition of weekly, rural newspapers in Montana. This week, Montana's longest running weekly print newspaper is celebrating its 150th anniversary. Originally located in Virginia City, MT, dating all the way back to November 1873, the Madisonian newspaper now located in Ennis, MT, has kept residents of Madison County up to date and informed on what is happening in their community for a century and a half. From local elections, to stories about new public schools and libraries, the Madisonian has told the stories of Madison County residents for generations--heck, they have told these stories since before Montana was officially admitted to the Union. The Madisonian is a paramount example of how folks in rural America stay informed. Rural weekly newspapers like the Madisonian are the lifeblood of engaged citizens in Montana. They tell stories, they keep us informed, and they hold elected officials--like me--accountable. The folks at these papers work long hours for little pay, and are often forced to drive long distances to chase leads, but they do it to serve their readers. Much like hospitals and schools, rural newspapers are part of the fabric of their communities and help to keep every corner of our State strong. I appreciate the work of our weekly newspapers across Montana, but today, I especially appreciate the work of the people at the Madisonian that have kept this tradition alive for 150 years. Thank you for keeping Montana informed, and I look forward to the next 150.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Madam President, I want to thank the Senator from Louisiana. I rise in support of the Kennedy amendment and in support of the Second Amendment rights of veterans in Montana and across this country. It is not right that a DC bureaucrat at the VA could take away veterans' legal rights to their firearms simply because they need assistance in managing their finances. A Montana veteran and mental health advocate told me that the VA's longstanding policy to threaten veterans' constitutional rights, who ask for help in managing their affairs, has been a barrier to veterans receiving help for years. It is time to end it so veterans can reach out for the financial help they need and the mental help they need. I agree and don't believe someone who has served this country and who needs a fiduciary should have to hire a lawyer and go back to court to get their Second Amendment rights back. I yield to Senator Kennedy.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, today I would like to honor the life and service of a distinguished Montanan and Vietnam veteran, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Whaley. Bob is a native son of the Treasure State and graduated from Missoula County High in 1954. He had a successful college football career at Carroll College, where he also served as president of the student body council. After graduating from Carroll, Bob answered the call to serve and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps for Aviation Office Candidate School. He shortly commissioned as a second lieutenant and spent the next 18 months at Pensacola flight school training in Florida, flying both fixed-wing aircrafts and helicopters. In April 1962, Bob was a member of the first Marine aircraft unit to serve in South Vietnam. Soon after arriving in Vietnam, he also participated in the Vietnam war's first night medevac mission. Throughout his first two tours of Vietnam, Bob flew medevac helicopters, where he rescued wounded American troops. While flying a Huey gunship to support transport helicopters in 1965, Bob's aircraft was shot down. He and the rest of his crew miraculously survived the crash, but they sustained serious injuries and were evacuated stateside to recover. After recovering, he began training replacement pilots at Camp Pendleton and eventually returned to Vietnam in 1968, 3 weeks after marrying his wife, LaWana. There, he got back in the Huey and flew hundreds of recon and rescue missions. When Bob finally returned to the U.S. from Vietnam for the last time in 1969, he had logged more than 800 missions and earned 40 Air Medals, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, a Bronze Star, and a Purple Heart. He continued his service in the Marine Corps for another decade and eventually retired in 1979 as a lieutenant colonel and the executive officer of Marine Air Group 39 at Camp Pendleton. After retiring, Bob returned to his native Missoula and began working as a financial adviser. Eventually, he retired for good so he and LaWana could enjoy the mountains outside of Missoula. Sadly, LaWana passed last December, after 54 years of marriage. Today, it is my honor to commemorate Bob's incredible service to our country. On behalf of myself and a grateful nation, I commend Lieutenant Colonel Whaley, and extend our deepest appreciation to him and his family. His exemplary service in the Marines is what makes our country the greatest in the world and Montana the Last Best Place. He is a true patriot who has made Montana proud, and we owe him a deep debt of gratitude.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Madam President, I rise today in support of my bipartisan legislation to protect funding for hunter safety programs. Senator Cornyn is going to make a UC here in a bit. I just want to thank him and Senator Murkowski for the work that they have done on this bill. It has been incredible. You know, in Montana and across rural America, our schools have long offered hunter safety classes and taught our kids gun safety and personal responsibility, but recently the Biden administration and the bureaucrats here in this city who really don't understand rural America very well decided to block funding for these important education programs. I want to be clear. That was a poor decision that will hurt thousands of students who benefit from these resources and these programs every year. That is why I am pushing for this bipartisan fix that would require the Department of Education to restore a school district's ability to use Federal dollars for school archery or gun safety or hunter education programs. Look, folks, when Republicans and Democrats came together to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, we did so to ensure that our kids are safe when they go to school. This commonsense bill will make sure that we stay true to that intent by educating future generations on the importance of responsible gun ownership and hunting, which will only make our students and our communities safer. It will protect Montana's longstanding and proud tradition of hunting and shooting sports, which are essential to Montana's way of life. I would urge my colleagues in this room today to support this bipartisan solution. With that, I yield the floor.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, today I would like to honor the life and service of a distinguished Montanan and one of Montana's five World War II Medal of Honor recipients: Technician Fourth Grade Laverne Parrish. Laverne and his family moved to the Mission Valley of Montana in 1934, and he graduated from Ronan High School in 1937. Never one to shy away from service or sacrifice, Laverne joined the Washington Army National Guard in the March of 1941, just months before the attack on Pearl Harbor. He served as a medical aidman in Company C of the 161st Infantry Regiment where he achieved the rank of technician fourth grade, the noncommissioned officer equivalent of sergeant. In August of 1942, his Army National Guard unit was activated and deployed to Hawaii for training. Soon after, his unit was mobilized and deployed to the Pacific Theater with the 25th Infantry Division. Known as ``Tropic Lightning'' for specializing in jungle warfare, his division saw combat in five different military campaigns, moving from Guadalcanal, to the Northern Solomon Islands, and eventually joining General MacArthur's campaign to recapture the Philippines. In January of 1945, his division landed on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. During heavy fighting in Binalonan, Laverne risked his life rushing onto the battlefield to bring in his wounded brother in arms to safety. While treating casualties, he noticed two wounded soldiers from his company still in the field. Without hesitation, he crawled back onto the battlefield amidst intense enemy fire to successfully rescue both men. Six days later, under withering enemy fire, Laverne's unit was ordered to withdraw to the cover of a ditch. Seeing two wounded soldiers unable to move, Laverne quickly left his position and pulled them to safety. In that same field, he also delivered aid to 12 casualties, crossing and recrossing an open area raked by enemy fire in the process and finally bringing an additional three men who were critically wounded back to the unit. Shortly after treating nearly all 37 of the casualties suffered by his company, Laverne was mortally wounded by mortar fire and died on the battlefield, just 6 months before the war ended. He was 26 years old, and his body was returned to Montana, where he was laid to eternal rest at the Mountain View Cemetery in Ronan. While Laverne passed, the story of the heroic ``Montana Medic'' quickly spread through the 25th Infantry Division as they bravely carried on facing more continuous combat than any other Infantry Division in the 6th Army. Laverne pitted heroism and bravery against great odds, saving the lives of many of his fellow soldiers at the cost of his own. In honor of his incredible bravery and sacrifice, Laverne was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman, our Nation's highest military awarded to the men and women in uniform who have gone above and beyond protecting our freedoms. He was one of just six medical corpsman to receive this honor in World War II, and the six were credited with saving the lives of more than 150 military personnel. In the fall of 1948, the town of Ronan came together to honor Laverne by naming the athletic field the Sergeant Laverne Parrish Memorial Field. Naming this field in Laverne's honor was a small token of our appreciation for his heroic service and sacrifice, but it ensured he will be remembered generation after generation in Ronan--and all across the Treasure State. Seventy-five years later, Laverne's memory lives on in each of us--in the freedoms of our children, our children's children, and right here with us on this football field. On behalf of myself and a grateful nation, I commend Mr. Laverne Parrish and extend our deepest appreciation to him. He is a true patriot who made Montana proud, and we will never forget him. Today and every day, let us remember that we are standing here today, in a free country, because of Laverne, the sacrifices he made, and the sacrifices of our military men and women have made every generation since.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize a great Montanan, and a national champion for our access to public lands. For his entire life, Land Tawney has fought to ensure that every Montanan and every American is able to experience the joys that our rivers, streams, and public lands have to offer. For the last 10 years he has led this charge from the helm of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, an organization that was once volunteer based and local, but is now a leading advocacy group for hunters and anglers in 48 States and two Canadian provinces. But unfortunately for us, Land recently announced that he will be leaving Backcountry Hunters and Anglers for greener pastures and wider trails. While I am sure that we haven't heard the last of Land Tawney he will certainly be missed by many Montanans and sportsmen and women across the Nation. In his tenure as president and CEO, Land was able to grow BHA to a community with more than half a million members. He played a key role in helping pass my Great American Outdoors Act and permanently reauthorizing and fully funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund. I am proud to call Land a friend, but more importantly, I am proud of the things we have accomplished in Congress with the support of Land and the BHA. He is a fierce advocate for preserving access. He is a builder of broad coalitions. And he is someone that you always want on your team. I am going to miss Land at BHA, but I am looking forward to seeing what is next. Thank you, Land.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that this vote occur immediately.

Mr. TESTER. Madam President, with a historic number of veterans receiving care and benefits under the PACT Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs needs a qualified second-in-command. Now more than ever, the VA needs a steady hand to uphold its mission to deliver veterans the healthcare and benefits that they have earned. I rise today because Tanya Bradsher is that leader. She has an impressive record of serving our country in and out of uniform, especially in her current role--which is VA Chief of Staff--where she has been critical in overseeing the Department's implementation of the PACT Act. Between her time serving in the U.S. Army--including a deployment to Iraq--and working in Congress and working at the White House and the Defense Health Agency and at the Department of Homeland Security, it is clear that she is qualified for the job and ready to hit the ground running to serve our Nation's veterans. It is no secret that the VA has a lot of work on its plate. From rolling out the Electronic Health Record Modernization program to working with the Defense Department to improve transition process for servicemembers who are leaving the military, these are challenges VA's No. 2 official is directly tasked with, all while running the day-to- day operations of the VA. That is why this body needs to come together in a bipartisan way to make Tanya Bradsher the permanent leader--the leader who will tackle these challenges and ensure that the VA is upholding its mission to the veterans and their families. The fact is, having a permanent leader in this role ensures that we can hold the VA accountable to do their job. And our veterans deserve no less. In the past, this body has been able to rise above politics to install qualified individuals at the VA responsible for getting vets the healthcare and the benefits they need and that they have earned. Today, we must do that again to confirm Tanya Bradsher as VA's next Deputy Secretary and making her the first woman ever confirmed for this position. With that, I yield the floor.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I rise today to share a few words in honor of the 62nd birthday of Marc Hilliard Fogel, an American currently imprisoned in Russia. Marc is an American schoolteacher, a father, a husband, and an uncle. And in August of 2021, after living and teaching in Russia for 9 years, Marc was arrested and sentenced to 14 years in Russian prison. His imprisonment is unjust and unacceptable, plain and simple. I recently met with Marc's family, who currently reside in Montana, and I would like to honor his birthday today by taking the time to share some of what they shared with me as they work tirelessly to bring him home. Marc is a dedicated partner to his wife Jane, an inspiring dad to his two sons Sam and Ethan, and a caring son to his 94-year-old mother Malphine. He is a committed brother to his sisters Anne and Lisa and an uncle to Anne's three children. He is a sports fanatic, a fan of Steely Dan, an avid reader, a passionate teacher, and a world traveler. If you talk to his family, they will tell you about his infectious personality, his love for learning and teaching, and his dedication to community. He devoted his life to children, and was steadfast in guiding his students to learn, grow, and think independently. And today, he is marking his 62nd birthday not with his loved ones, but in Russian prison. As we approach the second anniversary of Marc's detention, it is our duty to use all the tools at our disposal to bring Marc home. This week, I introduced a bipartisan resolution calling for his immediate release, and I am here today to strongly urge the Biden administration to prioritize securing his release and the State Department to designate him as ``wrongfully detained.'' The unjust imprisonment of Marc Fogel has gone on far too long. Now, we must do everything in our power to ensure this innocent American is reunited with his loved ones, so he can spend his next birthday--and many after--surrounded by family. Happy Birthday, Marc. We will keep working to get you home.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I want to thank Senator Daines for all the effort he put into this legislation, the Fort Belknap Indian Community Water Rights Settlement Act. It has been a long time coming, and I want to take a moment to acknowledge the current leader of the Fort Belknap Indian Community, President Stiffarm. President Stiffarm is a courageous leader, and he deserves a tremendous amount of credit for bringing this bill to the moment we are at today. This bill was first introduced by me in 2012. The bipartisan version that we are voting on today is the result of years of negotiation between the Tribe, local elected officials, State legislators, Federal Agencies, and other stakeholders that hammered out a fair compromise that honors the trust and treaty responsibilities while guaranteeing water certainty to all water users in North Central Montana through the rehabilitation of the Milk River Project. Look, I am a farmer, and I know how critical water is for the health of communities, for agriculture, and for economic growth. Water is necessary for our crops, for our businesses, for our homes. We all rely on it. For the Fort Belknap Indian Community the work started on this over 100 years ago. In the Senate, we have been debating moving this water settlement forward for years, and, today, we can make it happen. I would urge my colleagues to do right by the Tribe by honoring our trust and treaty responsibilities, and do right by all the folks who rely on clean water in the Treasure State. And I support Senator Daines' call for a voice vote.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the following law clerks of the Senate Judiciary Committee be granted floor privileges until August 1, 2023: Alexandra Hough, Cristina Morrison, Melissa Immel, and Jazmin Alvarez.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, we are going to be voting on an amendment here in a few minutes that I want to rise in support of. It was introduced by my friend the Senator from South Dakota, Senator Rounds. This amendment aims to protect American food security against attacks by foreign adversaries--in particular, these four foreign adversaries: China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. As many of you know, I am a third-generation farmer. I know firsthand that food security is national security. It is that plain. It is that simple. Allowing our foreign adversaries to invest in American farmland and agribusiness is a direct threat to our food supply. Preventing our adversaries, our enemies from acquiring land near sensitive military sites--sites like Air Force bases, like the one in Montana, Malmstrom Air Force Base--is a no-brainer, and now we need to protect the rest of our food system. This amendment will enable the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States--otherwise known as CFIUS--to review all significant agriculture-related foreign investments, and it will empower the Agency to prohibit future purchases of farmland by our foreign adversaries. Our amendment also includes commonsense provisions that protect the rights of U.S. citizens and permanent residents and small farmers and business owners. This is a critical step toward making sure we aren't handing over valuable American assets to foreign entities that want to replace us as the world's leading military and economic power. I would urge all of my colleagues in this room and the ones who are going to come to this room to support this commonsense solution that will protect our Nation's food supply and defend our country against folks who would like to see us cease to exist. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. TESTER. I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President I rise today to share a few words today to honor the life and legacy of Mike and Maureen Mansfield and celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Mansfield Center. Mike Mansfield was one of this Nation's greatest public servants, whose legacy is not only as a Congressman, a Senator, and a diplomat, but also as one of America's champions for the greater good, who always put service and sacrifice before himself. Mike planted roots in Montana at the age of 7, spending his childhood in Great Falls raised by his aunt and uncle. After serving in three branches of the U.S. military, Mike returned to the Treasure State, still lacking a high school education, to work in Butte's copper mines. In the spring of 1928, his life was forever changed when he met his wife Maureen, a teacher who inspired him to leave the mines and further his education. He and Maureen were married for 68 years, fostering a lifelong partnership marked by deep devotion and respect. After serving five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, Mike was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1952, and reelected again in 1958, 1964, and 1970. He served for 16 years as Senate majority leader, quickly becoming known by Members on both sides of the aisle for his character and high standard of public service. He was a person that got things done, shaping the character of the modern Senate through tactful leadership in international relations and humble dedication to public good. And he still found time to personally read and sign every letter to his constituents in Montana. That is what being a Montanan meant to Mike Mansfield. He never failed to meet challenges, reach across the aisle, and fight for Montanans at every turn. His commitment to community and the common good spanned six Presidents and left a lasting mark on Montana and on the Nation as a whole. I am lucky to have learned so much from Mike Mansfield's storied career and proud to sit in the seat he once held. Mike and Maureen's legacy lives on in the service of the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center, where folks work hard to increase awareness, advance education, and shed more light on the pressing issues facing Montana and the world. Since its founding in 1983, the Mansfield Center has bridged divides and fostered generations of globally minded leaders. Whether it is through fellowships that connect top-notch students with global leaders, critical research they are doing back in Montana, or everything in between, the Center continues to be instrumental in shaping the voices of tomorrow. And today, we honor 40 years of service and celebrate the immense accomplishments of all the folks who made it possible, driven by love of country and dedication to democracy. Thank you to the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center for all that you do. Because of you, the Mansfield legacy lives on.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, today I would like to honor the life and service of a distinguished Montanan and Korean and Vietnam war veteran, the late Ms. Ethel B. LaRock. Ethel was a native daughter of Montana, born on September 23, 1930, in Wolf Creek. She was raised alongside her nine older siblings in the Sixth Ward in Helena. Never one to shy away from service or sacrifice, Ethel left Montana to serve her country in the Korean and Vietnam wars as a nurse in the U.S. Army. Her time in uniform took her all across the world, from Southeast Asia to Europe. A decorated servicewoman, she was awarded a Bronze Star in the Korean war and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross in the Vietnam war for her heroic actions. After retiring from the Army as a lieutenant colonel, Ethel returned to civilian life, where she was an accomplished watercolor artist, a member of the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, and enjoyed music, literature, and researching her family history. She was happiest surrounded by generations of her nieces and nephews, spanning all the way to great-great-nieces and nephews. She loved playing cards with them, sharing stories, and watching old movies. On June 22, 2023, Ethel passed away at the age of 92 at the Fort Harrison VA Hospital. Today, it is my honor to commemorate her service and life as an outstanding Montanan. On behalf of myself and a grateful nation, I commend Lieutenant Colonel Ethel LaRock and extend our deepest appreciation to her and her family. She is a true patriot who made Montana proud, and she will be sorely missed.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, today, I want to honor the life and service of a distinguished Montanan and Vietnam war veteran who recently passed, Edward Merle Wrzesinski. Ed was a native son of Montana. He was born on the October 27, 1945, in Roundup. He was raised on the Wrzesinski family homestead in the Snowy Mountains, where he spent his time breaking horses, reading books, and doodling the beautiful Eastern Montana landscape around him--a landscape that would continue to shape his life forever. Never one to shy away from service or sacrifice, Ed left Montana to serve his country in the Navy during the Vietnam war. During the war, he served on the USS Ranger aircraft carrier from 1963 to 1966, where he worked in the print shop. After being honorably discharged from the Navy, Ed moved to Seattle and entered the print business. Eventually, he took his printing career to San Francisco, where he opened up his own printing company, called Barbary Coast Press, and he met his wife Debra. After a stint in Hawaii, Ed and Debra moved back to Montana, settling in Twin Bridges, where they started their family. Here they raised their daughters Tess and Beth and founded Tobacco Root Graphics, an iconic line of western watercolor greeting cards inspired by Ed's childhood in the Snowy Mountains in Eastern Montana. Ed also went on to drive buses for the Twin Bridges school district and later for Bozeman's Streamline city bus services after they made their move to Bozeman. Ed loved his family. He especially liked spending time with his daughters. Together, they would work on art projects, attend sporting events, and watch movies. Ed also loved reading good books. He liked golf. And, as all good Montanans, he liked to trout fish. On a beautiful Montana summer evening, you could find him at the river with a fishing pole and a box of fried chicken. Ed passed away on May 4, earlier this year. He had fought a long battle with prostate cancer, a condition directly related to his exposure to Agent Orange during his service in the Vietnam war. While he fought long and hard, I am grateful he was able to get the healthcare and the benefits he needed in the last years of his life through the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act, which we were able to get across the finish line here in the Senate for heroes like Ed. And we did that in 2019. Today, it is my honor to commemorate his service and life as an outstanding Montanan. His legacy will live on through his family and his daughters. I am especially honored to have his daughter Tess working on my Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee staff, where she serves veterans in Montana and across the Nation and was awarded the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans' Unsung Hero Award for her tireless work for veterans. Beth is also following in his footsteps at the University of Montana, where she is studying digital filming. So on behalf of myself and a grateful Nation, I commend Mr. Ed Wrzesinski and extend our deepest appreciation to him and his family. He is a part of the fabric that makes Montana the ``Last Best Place,'' and he will be sorely missed. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, today I would like to honor the life and service of a distinguished Montanan and U.S. Army Special Forces veteran: the late Jeremy Jones. A native son of Montana, Jeremy was born and raised in Whitefish, MT. He was an American hero who spent the majority of his adult life risking his life to serve this country. As a troop sergeant major with 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, Jeremy served in more than a dozen combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan over the course of an almost 30-year career in the Army and Joint Special Operations Command. He received numerous combat medals and citations for his extraordinary service and sacrifice in that time, including three Bronze Stars. After retiring honorably from the Army, Jeremy transitioned to civilian life in North Carolina where he gave back to his community, had good friends, and was an avid fisherman and golfer. He was a critical member of the Knowmadics team, where he worked on programs to protect warfighters and train the next generation of cyber professionals. Most importantly, he was a loving father to his children Bobby and Jess. On May 14, 2023, Jeremy passed away at the age of 44. Today, it is my honor to commemorate his service and legacy. We owe Jeremy a debt of gratitude that can never be fully repaid. Raising the flag over the U.S. Capitol in his honor is just a small token of our deep appreciation for his service and valor. On behalf of myself and a grateful nation, I commend Mr. Jeremy Jones and extend our deepest appreciation to him and his family. His legacy will continue to be felt by warfighters for years to come, and he will be sorely missed.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the scheduled vote start immediately.

Mr. TESTER. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Madam President, I rise today to speak in support of Anthony Johnstone's confirmation to be a judge for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. I am very proud to be supporting this Montanan for such an important position. He is going to bring something that we are in need of in this body a lot of the time, and that is common sense. He is also a man of integrity. Americans expect their judges to apply the law without bias, in a nonpartisan way, and that is exactly what Anthony Johnstone has done throughout his legal career. He has an outstanding record of service to the people of Montana. He served as clerk for Judge Sid Thomas on the Ninth Circuit and then as our State solicitor and assistant attorney general at the Montana Department of Commerce. For more than a decade, he has encouraged the next generation of legal minds at the University of Montana's Alexander Blewett III School of Law. He is supported by Democrats and Republicans alike, including the past two attorney generals from Montana--one from each party. He is supported by Montana's former Republican solicitor general. He is supported by retired Montana Supreme Court justices. He is supported by Tribes across the great State of Montana. And he is supported by former Yale and Chicago Law classmates and countless other public servants across the Ninth District. Mr. Johnstone has stood up for our Constitution time and time and time again. I have no doubt that he will continue to do that as a judge. We have the opportunity--the opportunity here in a moment--to confirm an excellent and impartial legal mind to the Ninth Circuit bench. I would urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting Anthony Johnstone's nomination. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the scheduled vote occur immediately.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.